Mumbai: Ejaz Lakdawala probe blows lid off gold smuggling racket

MUMBAI: The city crime branch stumbled upon a gold smuggling racket while investigating the alleged hushing up of an extortion case involving gangster Ejaz Lakdawala and police informer Salim Maharaj.
The crime branch has identified more than a dozen persons involved in smuggling gold from the Gulf.
Last week, Mumbai police commissioner Sanjay Barve ordered an inquiry on learning that some police officers had hurriedly transferred an extortion case from Pydhonie police station to M R A Marg without citing valid reasons.It was also learnt MRA Marg police officers did nothing to bring the case to its logical end.
Crime branch Unit I, which is conducting the inquiry, learnt that the hushed up case related to a dispute between the gold smugglers and a woman carrier. In June 2018, one Sumaiyla who lives at Null Bazaar smuggled in gold strapped to her body. She returned from Dubai to Bengaluru airport and called one Imtiaz and told him that she was being followed by some people. Imtiaz brought her to Mumbai and the very next day she allegedly began to receive calls from gangster Tariq Parveen, a Lakdawala aide, and Maharaj. The duo threatened Sumaiyla saying she must hand over 600 grams of gold or be killed.
They called Sumaiyla to Rafai Towers in Pydhonie. She, Imtiaz and his friend Saddiq were then assaulted and threatened saying if they failed to get the gold, they would be handed over to the cops. Frightened, Sumaiyla, Saddiq and Imitiaz then approached police and lodged a complaint saying they were confined, assaulted and threatened at gunpoint by Tariq and Salim.
During inquiry, police summoned Imitaz, Saddiq, Sumaiyla and her friend Reshma who shared information about such smuggling rackets in South Mumbai.
It is learnt that the smugglers mostly hail from Kerala and live in Dongri in dormitories.
They handpick young women and men who want a sponsored trip to Dubai. They are offered a small shopping allowance and free three- four day stay. On every kilo of gold smuggled into India, smugglers earn make Rs 3-4 lakh profit.
“A carrier carries around 500 to 600 gram of gold biscuits on her body,” said an informer. The carriers prefer to land in Chennai or Bengaluru due to laxity in customs. From there, they either reach Mumbai by road or rail and hand over the packets to their mentors.
“Among the carriers, there are some who steal 50gm to 100gm of gold from a consignment and if smugglers ask about it, they threaten to file molestation or rape cases against them,” said a police officer.